Damper for ventilator openings



Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,216

J. R. REPLOGLE DAMPER FOR VENTILATOR OPENINGS original Filed March 14. 1921 2' sheets-sneer 1 J. R. REPLOGLE DAMPER FOR VENTILATOR OPENINGS o'riginai Filed March 14. V1921 2 sheets-smeet 2 Dec. 13, 1927.

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. 2 and 3 and the refrigeratin Patented Dec. 13,

conn n. RnrLoeLn, or nnrnorr, MICHTGA TES N, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ELECTRIC REFRIGERATION COBPORATION,` OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORIORA- TION OF MICHIGAN e .application mea maren 14, 1921, serial DEER FOB VENTILATOR OPENINGS.

This invention relates to thermally controlled devices for ventilator openings for cooling chambers and refrigerators having va operating means therefor circulation of air through the more particularly to lves or dampers and for controlling the food compartthe amount of a opening such Huid flowing through an as a current of air flowing through a Ventilating opening in a refrigerator or other cooling device.

`the invention is to Another object .of maintain a compartment that communicates with a cooling chamber at a uniform tem perature.

Anothermbj ect vide a refrigerator l.having trolled means for malntainin partment of a refrigerat perature above that chamber.

of the invention is to prothermally cong the food comor at a uniform temthin the brine tank Still another object of the invention is the construction of, a thermally operated: valve damper that comprises a unit that is compact tion, efficient in operof few moving parts,

pendent self-contained and simple in construe that is composed ation,

separate indeand is not likely to get out of order.

While my device is primarily designed to be employed in connection with mechanically operated. refrigerators, stillit is understood that it may be employed in connection with refrigerators of other forms such as those employing ice as the cooling of the invention will lowing description ent. Other and further objects appear and advantages from the fold drawing in which;

' Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator with parts broken away an therein;

ical section of the device in position Fig. 2 is an enlarged vert valve or damper; Fig. 3 is a top d showing the plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2 with the top portion of the casing removed, parts being in: section and arts broken away. On the drawings, refrigerator having The partition 5 separ the ates the numeral 1 indicates a the food compartments chamber 4. ood compart- -I by any suitable means. may also be provided No. 452,31'7. Renewed. October- 1'?, 1927.

ment 2 from the refrigerating chamber 4 at its upper partments 2 and 3 at its lower end. A compartment in the lower part of the refrigerator closed by the removable cover 10 may contain the usual motor, compressor, condenser and attendant mechanism, as is well unders;ood.

The partition 5 has at its upper end the opening 6 and at the lower the opening 7 for the passage of air therethrough. The bottom wall 9 of the refrigerating chamber 4 is provided with an opening 8 through which the cooler air from the chamber 4 may pass n into the compartment 3, and from thence into the compartment 2 and becoming heated rises and passes through the opening 6 into the refrigerating chamber 4.

Thel opening 8 is shown as being circular, but it is understood that it may be of any convenient shape or size. It may be, and preferably is, provided with the lining member 11, which may be secured therein by any suitable means. This means may consist in providing the lining 14 with a flange 13 .extending around the opening 8, over which the return bend 12 of the lining member 11 is adapted to engage and be secured thereto The lower lining 19 with an upwardly extending flange 1 3 which engages, and makes a close fit with, the exterior surface of the lining member 11.

A valve or damper mechanism is employed to regulate the flowof air through the opening 8. This mechanism is operated by means lcontrolledby the temperature within the food compartment and is made in any convenient manner and secured by suitable means within the opening 8. As shown, this mechanism is a unitary structure and consists of an attaching or supporting ring 15, a casing or housing 31, a protecting or housinl member 22, valve or closure 40, 41 and va ve control and operating mechanism.

end and separat-es the food com- #The attaching or supporting ring 15 concured the laterally bent lower ends of brackets 16 which are attached to the housing 31 for supporting the same from said ring.

The protecting or housing member 22 which may be of substantially the same diameter as the "lining member 11, is secured to the lower side of the ring l5 by means of the bolts 17 which engage openings through the brackets 16, the projections 16 and 30 on the ring 15, and the inwardly extending lugs 17 carried by the upper end of the member 22, thus securingI the parts together to form a unitary structure. The member 22 and the housing' 31 together form a conducting passage or casing through which the air withinr4 the refrigerator is adapted to circulate.

In applying the unitary valve or damper mechanism to the opening 8, the casing or housing 31 is slid up within the said opening until the upper side of the ring 15J comes in contact with the lower lining 19. The ring or flange 15 is secured by any suitable means to the bottom wall 9. One form of attaching means is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.y A semi-'circular plate 20 having the studs` 21 rigidly attached thereto, is placed about the opening 8 with the studs extending through the lower lining 19. The ring 15 is secured to these studs by the usual nuts, shown in Fig. 2. By this arrangement of attaching means, the bolts or studs 21 are prevented from turning while the nuts are are being applied, and, moreover, all danger of injury to the lower lining is eliminated.

The member 22 may be provided with the laterally .extending supporting members 23 at its lower end. These members, however, may be omitted,.and, in fact, are omitted in the actual construction of the device. These vmembers have their outer ends bent upwardly and spaced from the member 22 to form seats for supporting .the enlarged tube or annular thermostat bulb 24. A spider 25 is secured beneath the member 22 andl has the arms 26 which extend laterally beyond the member 22 and have their outer ends' bent upwardly in spaced relation to the casing to form guards or supports for the thermostatic bulb 24. The member 22 protects the thermostat bulb from coming in direct contact with the cooler air fromthe chamber as itflows through the opening.

A housing 27 has the top 28 thereof provided with attaching ears 29 which are secured to supporting lugs 30 on the supporting ring l5. The top 28 of the housing is slotted as at 32 and has the ears 33 secured thereto. Pivoted between the ears 33 is' the lever 34 .which has the weights 35 and'35 adjustably connected to its outer end.

A plug 36 is secured to the lower o en end of the housing 27, as by being screwe therein. This lug has an openincr 37 through which projects the screw-threaded lower end as clearlyI i Leeaaie 38 of a corrugated longitudinally expansible member or\'bellows 38. rlhe bellows is secured in position by means of the lock nut 39. A projection on the upper end of the bellows is pivoted to the lever 34 by means of a pin and slot arrangement.

The housing 31 is provided with a closure or valve which in the form shown consists of the two leaves 40 and 41 pivoted to the supporting members 42 which are attached to the supporting ring 15. The leaves may if desired be covered with .insulating material and are operated by being connected to the lever 34. Links 43 and 44 are pivoted to the leaves 40 and 41, respectively, of the cover. These links extend laterally and downwardly toward each other and are so bent that their lower ends extenddowwardly through a rectangular opening 45 formed in the outer end of the lever 34. A U-shaped member 46 has its upper ends pivoted to lugs 46 on theA sides of the lever forming the rectangular opening 45, and has its lower end pivoted to the lower ends of the links 43 and 44 at 47. The thermostat bulb 24 having the charging valve arrangement 48 is adapted to ex tend about the member 22 and rest in the seat formed by the member 23. Its reduced end 50 extends through a slot 49 in the member 22 and is connected to the lower endof the bellows.4 The weights 35 and 35 are adjusted along the lever to the point where the device. will open the valve or damper ata predetermined temperature., Further adjust- 'nient may be accomplished by means of the plugs 36 and the locking nut 39. `A charge of fluid that vaporizes at comparatively low temperatures such' as sulphur dioxide is placed within the bulb 24. In order to insure a uniform expansion of the fluid within the bulb, a suliicient supply of the liquid is employed so that there will always be some of the liquid in the bulb that is not va-porized. It will be noted that the reduced portion of the thermostat is elevated so that the liquid will remain in the bulb 24. y

When the temperature of the air about the lio bulbrises above a predetermined maximum the liquid within the bulb vaporizes Sulliciently to create a sulicient the leaves -40 and 41 slightly, and as the temperature ofthe bulb rises the leaves will open more and more to permit the cooler air to pass through lthe opening.

It will be thus beobserved that owing to the relatively large size of the bulbv it.y readily responds to changes in temperatures `within the food compartment with the result that the leaves 40 and 41 are so manipulated that the temperature within the' food compartment is kept uniform. l

While I have sho-wn and described the depresure to openJ viceoas being employed in a refrigerator it is understood that it is not so .limited in its use as it may be employed 1'n any opening air passing through the casing. means connecting said lever to said links, a

through which a fluid is adapted to iow as a. other end thereof and communicating with 60 result of unequal temperatures n the two the interior of said expansible device.

sides of the opening. It isv also understood 5. 'In a thermally controlled valve device, that the invention is not limited to the dea casing having an opening therethrough for tailsof construction shown and described, fitting an opening in a support, an enlarged as changes in the form, proportions and detube about said casing for containing an extails of the construction may be varied withpansible fluid, said tube terminating in a -in the scope of the appended claims. reduced portion secu-red to one end of a cor- I claim: rugated longitudinally expansible member, a

1U l. In a unitary device for controlling the weighted lever connected to the other end circulation of air through an opening, the of said member and pivoted closures opcombination of tubular casing having open erated by said lever for closing said opening ends and adapted to register with an opening through said casing, substantially as shown in a wall; a closure for the passage through and described.

15' said casing movably mounted thereon; actu- 6. In a ventilatcg controlling device, a

ating means for the closure, comprising a dehousing, a hinged cover therefor, an ex- 76 vice operatively connected to the closure and pansible member within said housing, means located within the casing and a thermostat including a leverv having an adjustable bulb operatively' connected to said device weight thereon, connecting said closure with "c disposed and supported on the outer sideL said expansible member, and a thermostat of the casing and protected thereby from the about said housing and in communication 80 current of air passing therethrough. with said expansible member for controlling 2. In a unitary device for controlling the the movements of said closure, substantially circulation of air through an opening, the as Shown and described. A f :5 combination of a-tubular casing having open 7. In a ventilator controlling device, a

ends and adapted to register with an opencylindrical member, an attaching ring seing in a wall; a closure for the passage cured to one end of said member, a cover for through the casing movably mounted therethe other end of said member, said cover conon; means for actuating the closure comprissisting of a plurality of pivoted leaves, a' 3a ing an expansible device operatively connectlink pivoted to each leaf for operating the ed to the closure and a thermostat bulb opsame, a longitudinally expansible member, a W eratively connected to said expansible delever, a weight adjustab y mounted on the vice; and means for supporting the saidbulb `free end of said lever, said lever pivoted beso that 'it is protected from the current of tween its ends to said expansible member,

3. In a unitary device for controlling the cylindrical lmember connected to said ring, 9A circulation ofair through an opening, the a spider beneath said last named cylindrical .combination of a tubular casing having open member and having arms extending outwar ends and adapted to register with an opeiiand upward to form seats, a. thermostat bulb ic ing in a wall; aJclosure for the assage located without said cylindrical members through the casing movably mounte therewithin said seats and having a reduced poron; and means for actuating the closure comtion connected to said expansible member prising an expansible device operatively consubstantially as shown and described. nected to the closure and arranged within the 8. In a refrigerator, a wall having a ventiis casing and a thermostat bulb disposed and lating opening therethrough, a pivoted supported on the Outer side of the casing cover for closing said opening, mechanism and protected thereby from the current of including a lever for operating said cover, air passing therethrou h. a weight adjustably mounted on said lever 4. In a unitary device for controlling the an expansible member connected to said to circulation ofair through an opening, the lever, and a thermostat bulb conformin combination of atubular casing having open to the shape of said opening and arrange .1 10 ends and adapted to register with an opening about the same on the opposite side of the ina wall; a closure for-the casing passage wall -from said cover and connected to said movably mounted at one end of the casing; expansible member for controlling the opand means for actuating the closure compriseration of said cover substantially as shownYY ing an expansible deviceV operatively connectand described. ed with the c'losure and disposed within the In testimony whereof I aix my signature. casing and a thermostat bulb extending aroundtlie outer side of the casing near the JOHN R. REPLOGLE. 

